


Crutches // Eren Yeager x OC

by extrasauceplease



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Eldians, Eren Yeager - Freeform, F/M, Fanfiction, Hospital, Levi Ackerman - Freeform, Marley - Freeform, Nurse - Freeform, Paradise Island, Sad Ending, Slow Burn, Tragic Romance, aot - Freeform, attack on titan - Freeform, shingeki no kyojin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:02:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29424258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/extrasauceplease/pseuds/extrasauceplease
Summary: After Marley's war with the middle-east alliances, many injured soldiers dove into hospitals across the mainland. And due to the lack of space and resources, an eldian hospital was asked to help out. Monika was a nurse working there. She didn't mind being spat on by Marleyeans simply because she didn't care. But that didn't mean she accepted it. Long ago she had gotten used to the fact that resiting would get you nowhere but being sent to 'paradise'. She'd lost hope. Marley would forever treat eldians like cannon fodder. But that all changes when she's assigned to take care of Eren Kruger. An eldian soldier that had just returned from war.
Relationships: eren yeager / original character
Comments: 10
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

War with the Middle East alliances had just ended for Marley —of course, a win on their side— And the newspapers just couldn’t get enough of it. Every headline was titled with “another success for Marley” in bold font as well as the short mentions of the marleyan warriors’ great work in the battle. I couldn’t bear looking at those headlines or articles because I knew they were nothing but lies —or exaggerated truths. Marley was nothing but a cheater on a test using others to pass. It was pretty ironic, really, hating eldians for withholding “demon blood” but then go ahead and use them for their own gain. To be frank, without eldians Marley wouldn’t be anywhere near the high pedestal it’s at right now. But for the sake of living and getting on with life, I stayed quiet about my opinions. I’m not one to discuss politics nor the one to stay quiet about being oppressed. I’m somewhat on the sidelines of this entire situation. I watched as Marley ridiculed others and me and pretended to be “used” to it. But man, it never sat right with me. People say I’m a quiet, yet cheerful, person. But considering the reflection staring back at me as I looked at my mirror, I saw anything but that.  
I worked at a hospital, mainly for eldian civilians, but after Marley’s recent war, there’s been a huge number of injured soldiers that other health centers couldn’t take care of —overload— and so we were requested to help out. My job was to tend those men as much as possible. For all one knows my managers believed that my bubbly personality would cheer their souls up, but considering what they’ve been through I don’t think anything would take them back to what they once were. War hauls everything from you. Whether it was your dignity or pride or simply your body and mind. The best part of it all is there was no gain. Just greedy superiors shoving innocent souls into a suicidal battle instead of getting their own hands filthy.  
I strolled down the stairs of the hospital’s quarters and greeted some co-workers. Mary was seated in the lounge drinking her tea and going over her schedule, while Marlene passed by me and waved me a quick hello before wandering elsewhere. I greeted them all with a pleasant smile and warm good morning before going to the main building.  
I stepped out into the sun and felt its rays pierce through the fabric of my uniform and send comforting ripples of warmth all throughout me. And suddenly, all my worries and nerves had eased just by the sun alone. It was early in the morning, so the mix of frosty air and mellow light furnished me with enthusiasm and happiness that I wished would last forever. If I could, I would freeze time and just stand in the spot I was in for years. Not a single care in the world, just the sun and sweet—  
“Monika, what are you doing?” My time basking in the radiant sun was shortly interrupted by Gisela —the receptionist.  
“Nothing,” I began while directing my gaze back to the sky. “Just enjoying today’s morning.” Gisela looked at me shortly before her too turning her eyes at the sky. She stood there beside me adding awkward tension between us. She did nothing but look at the sun. I wondered when she would leave me alone at some point. And so I cleared my throat and motioned her to walk with me to the main building. She nodded and followed, silently again.  
“So, today you’re expected to help the soldiers get accustomed to the place,” after a few minutes of silence, Gisela began.“Of course, you were assigned, one patient.” She then concluded. I nodded in response.  
“When will I be meeting that patient?” I asked, my eyes focused on the building that kept getting closer and closer to me.  
“I think,” Gisela averted her gaze momentarily to look at her watch.“Now. I think Mark said you have to stop by the local port and direct the soldiers here.” Gisela continued. I hummed in response and asked for more directions and specifications regarding my patient.  
According to Gisela, he suffered memory loss and only remembered his first name. He’d also lost a leg and an eye and would need support in being escorted anywhere around the resort. The patient’s name was Eren Kruger.  
I walked through the streets of Marley and clutched my first aid kit tightly. I wasn’t nervous, or anything, but it just felt right to do so. I began seeing the port and a horde of soldiers exiting it as I reached closer. And eventually enough, I was there.  
“Good morning lieutenant,” I greeted.“Beautiful morning today isn’t it?” I then added. He looked at me once and turned back to his comrades, continuing whatever conversation I had interrupted. I didn’t care if he replied back or not, I just took it as a sign to get on with my job. Turning around I was faced with the soldiers leaning against the wall. Each one looked different, but their faces were all similar. Signs of wear and apparent exhaustion was evident, as well as the tragic aftermath of their brutal battles. Some were muttering incoherent verses from the Bible, others were moaning piteously in emotional pain as they recalled snippets of the gruesome bloodshed.  
I held onto them and began escorting them back to the hospital. Most of them were able to walk, but three of them had lost a leg. I unfastened my first aid kit and began opening the foldable crutches but I only had two meaning I had to let one of them use me in order to walk. Fixing the crutches, I turned to the two in front and helped them get accustomed to it. They both replied with a smile and meek thank you and continued following the others to the hospital. I looked back and found the third soldier alone leaning against the wall. He had lost a leg and an eye and stared at me as though to say, “How do you expect me to walk?”  
“Good morning,” I greeted as I rushed over.“Here.” I offered as I stood beside him, our shoulders touching. He looked at me, well down at me, and wrapped a hand around my shoulder. He hesitated at first, considering he was much taller than me, but I shook my head and said,  
“I’m a lot stronger than you think.” He nodded and leaned on me. With a gentle pace, he used me for support and hopped his way to the hospital. I would be blatantly lying if I said it didn’t take hours to reach there. Not bothering to engage in any uncomfortable conversations, I concluded that the patient I was aiding fit the criteria of the one Gisela talked about earlier.  
“Are you Mr. Kruger?” I asked while looking at him. He nodded approvingly, not bothering to say anything. I hummed in response and looked at the hospital nearing us.  
“That means you’re my patient,” I said. “Nice to meet you, Kruger.”  
*  
“Alright,” I exhaled, removing his arm from my shoulder.“This is your room,” I looked at the door. “I think.” He nodded at me and began opening the door. When the door opened, he fell face-forward onto the floor. I had absolutely forgotten he couldn’t walk without my assistance.  
“Oh no,” I muttered as I rushed over to him on the floor. I leaned over and inspected him, no signs of injury considering he fell pretty hard. I gently closed my eyes and sighed hopelessly.  
“I’m extremely sorry,” I began. “Stay here, I’ll go and get you some crutches.” Standing up, I assisted Mr. Kruger to his bed and once again made sure he was okay. He positioned himself on the bed, feeling the sheets beneath him. I left his room and went looking for some crutches. Dashing through the steps of the hospital, I bumped into Mark abruptly. He moaned in pain as he stroked his chest —where my head hit.  
“I’m so sorry, Mark.” I apologized in a low voice. “That’s okay,” He smiled politely. Mark was a doctor around here; he was a marleyan, a sweet one to be exact. He respected me and other eldian workers. Not to mention, the way he handled his patients, eldians, was very supportive and non-oppressive. That was how he gained my respect.  
“Hey Mark, do you know where I can get some wooden crutches?” I asked. He directed me to a supply room where all the bandages, surgical instruments, and medical aid were. He lent me a wooden crutch and with that, we both left.

“Mr. Kruger,” I knocked on the door softly. No answer. “Mr. Kruger?” I knocked again, waiting eagerly for the used door to push open.  
“You do know I can’t walk over to the door and open it for you right?” I heard a muffled voice say. Smacking my forehead for being so stupid, I managed to croak out a slight sorry and opened the door to his shabby room. He was in the same position I left him in. On the uncomfortable bed, sitting up-right. I felt embarrassed since my first interactions with Mr. Kruger were just me forgetting about his critical condition. He must think of me as an unorganized nurse that had no experience. But considering how he’d interacted with me so far, he didn’t seem to care. I placed the crutch beside him on the bed and left his room with a soft goodbye. Carefully closing the door behind me, I looked thoughtfully at the weather outside. It was only 12 in the afternoon and after the events of today, I desperately needed a break and an intake of fresh air. Right before I left, I heard Mr. Kruger’s door open and there he was, leaning on his crutches.  
“Oh, can I help you with something?” I respectfully asked, walking over to him. He nodded politely.  
“Could you take me outside?” He asked softly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mr. Kruger settles in and Monika registers his name into the hospital's records, new questions begin to rise to the surface.

“So,” I said. “How old are you?” Due to the war, most of the soldiers’ records were lost. I utilized this opportunity —sitting on a bench with him enjoying the afternoon weather— to know more about my patient. Allergies, health records, age, just important information to help me customize his stay. He placed his hands on the crutches between his legs and stared ahead.  
“19,” His answer shocked me. He considerably looked much older than his actual age. Could it have been the hair and goatee? My shock must’ve shown on my face since Mr. Kruger laughed a little. That means even he knew he looked maturer than he is. But alas, war does that to you.

“How about you?” He asked. I turned my head away from him, scared to share my age. I was much older than him. Looking at my hands, fiddling with my skirt, I answered.  
“24.” I think my answer shocked him too because for once, I saw his eyes widen from under that mess he called hair. He looked at me with surprise, his eyes lingering for longer than he might’ve intended. It caused me to think if I had something on my face or if I looked older than intended. To be honest, I felt upset. Who wouldn’t want to look younger?  
“You look a lot younger,” He finally spoke out. Relief washed over me and to be frank I felt flattered.   
“Well,” I remarked smiling. “That’s one thing we have in common,” His eyes softened. “We both don’t look our age.” My response made him smile. It was small and short-lasting, but it was contagious enough for me to smile too.  
“If it makes you feel better,” He began. “I’m turning 20 in a few days.” I nodded, unsure of what to respond with.  
“Why?” I asked. “When’s your birthday?”  
“March 30th.” I nodded in response and a silence formed between us. Except it wasn’t uncomfortable or suffocating since I didn’t feel the need to talk, and I don’t think he did either. It was a nice and comfortable silence. Just the both of us enjoying the afternoon breeze and each other's company. But like everything else, things get boring after a long while. It’s not that I felt bored; I just felt too comfortable —and considering I was his nurse, things always had to be professional. I flicked the dust off my skirt and stood up rather abruptly. He looked at me with a rather sad expression, but that just could’ve been me trying to boost my ego, and waved me goodbye. I smiled.  
“See you later,” I said. To be fully honest, Mr. Kruger might have been my favorite patient yet.  
I walked back to the main building and scheduled an appointment with Mark for Mr. Kruger; just so he can prescribe him medicine if needed. Hospital protocol and all. I leaned over the reception desk and watched as Gisela scheduled the appointment. I believe the way I was staring was obnoxious because she kept giving confused side glances. I exhaled tiredly and started tapping my fingers on the table as Gisela flipped through Mark’s schedule. I could tell Gisela was progressively growing annoyed by my presence and so she slammed the book sharply and narrowed her eyes shut.

“How about you get me a cup of coffee while I look for an empty day to book?” She forced a strained smile as her eyes begged for me to leave. I rolled my eyes and began walking to the kitchen.  
“Fine.” I swayed my hands at her. I loved annoying Gisela.  
Upon reaching the kitchen, I grabbed some coffee powder and hot water. While doing so, I thought about what I should do on Mr. Kruger’s birthday —Or if I should do one anyway. Would it be weird considering we just met? Or would it be a nice way of cutting the first turf since I was having to take care of him all throughout his stay? I didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t that much of a big deal, but it still occupied some space in my mind. I continued pondering about what I should do as I poured the hot water into the cup filled with coffee powder. I think I should do it, but with the permission of my superiors first of course —mark. I walked through the hallways holding the cup of coffee, and when I reached the reception, I placed it on the table for her to take.  
“Thank you,” She said. “Plus, I found an opening in Mark’s schedule on March 30th at 3 o’clock for Mr. Kruger. Think you could take him at that time?” Gisela asked, taking a sip from her coffee. I nodded. There, an excuse to not throw a surprise party. How convenient?  
I remained the rest of my day filling out forms and generating a file for Mr. Kruger. But little by little, I was unable to answer many of the questions. He said he had memory loss, but remembered his birthday and age. Strange. I closed the file and decided to go and check on Mr. Kruger since it was almost dinner time. As I left my cramped office, Mr. Kruger’s file in hand, I walked to the courtyard of the hospital and noticed a blonde-haired boy keeping Mr. Kruger company Upon seeing me, he dashed to the front gates. I approached Mr. Kruger as he looked at me, waiting for me to speak.  
“Dinner’s ready,” I said offering a hand. “Shall I escort you?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this story will be slow burn since I'm going for a realistic approach for the storyline  
> I promise chapters will be longer, I will be editing them soon, but I'm busy with school atm so :(((


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During dinner, Monika and mr Kruger find themselves laughing at nothing but the foolishness of their own selves. Especially after Monika’s horrible attempt at being funny, she didn’t realize that mr Kruger was laughing at her, and not with her.

“So,” i began. “How’s the food?” Was my poor attempt of making conversation during dinner. If it was up to me I would’ve left to have my own dinner, leaving mr Kruger alone with his thoughts. But no, hospital policy stated that each nurse assigned to a patient must accompany them everywhere around the place according to the severity of their cases. And since mr Kruger lost both an eye and a leg, I need to help him out even if he seems to be doing just fine. In all honesty, I didn’t mind. I didn’t mind at all. Mr Kruger was nice to have around. His shy personality and comforting aura is enough to make me stick around. But in moments where I can feel him being aggravated with me constantly asking if he needs help, things tend to get awkward. Like right now for example. He’s having dinner, I, the good nurse I am, asked if he needed more salad or bread. Every now and then if he needs a napkin. Or just chattering about how my day was boring. And with all my attempts, he responds with a grunt or a passive nod. My body almost elevated with how much tension was between us. And you know what? I thought why not add more to it?   
“I spent the day registering you in,” I tapped my fingers on the table. “And there were many spaces left blank.” I looked to see if I dug out a reaction from him. “How about we go over them after dinner, see if we can jog your memory?” He looked up at me and shot me the most deadliest glare possible. But shortly after, his gaze softened and he turned to look back at the food.   
“Sure.”  
Rest of the dinner was mainly me talking about my day more, and mentioning mark here and there. I talked about how he was a marleyan doctor who treated eldians like his own family. Some political opinions of mine slipped out here and there; but that was only because of me getting riled up at the mention of marleyans in general. I’d mutter a soft sorry and ask him to pretend he didn’t hear a thing before continuing on with my conversation.   
“Hey,” I nudged him in his shoulder. “Wanna hear a joke?” I asked, a grin creeping onto my face shamelessly. He gave me a confused look but shrugged as a signal for me to go on. I started giggling as I recalled the joke and cleared my throat, trying to contain my obnoxious laughter.   
“Okay okay,” I calmed down. “What’s the difference between a well dressed man on a unicycle and a poorly dressed man on a bike?” I asked, trying to stop myself from bursting into tears. Mr Kruger furrowed his brows and shrugged. “Attire.” I slammed my hand on the table and buried my head, muffling my loud laughter. I just couldn’t stop myself, it was hilarious. My spine shook as I wheezed and choked. And when I sat back up, I noticed Mr Kruger staring at me like I’ve grown two heads. I wiped the tears from the corner of my eyes and smiled at him confused.   
“What?” I giggled a bit, they sounded more like pants but still qualified to be giggles. Mr Kruger continued staring at me until he, too, burst into laughter. His laugh was contagious and frankly enough, I began laughing again. Everyone around us must’ve thought we lost it or mistakenly thought that this was a mental ward. But in that moment, both of us laughing like we’d heard the best joke in existence, was probably the most fun I had in years. Especially in a hospital in Marley. Mr Kruger’s laugh and smile were just so intoxicating that I paused for a moment to just relish them. The way his eyes twinkled with tears of joy, and the wide smile that revealed pearly teeth, and formed wrinkles in his cheeks and right beside his eyes. For once, he looked genuinely happy. And I would be a terrible lier If I said I didn’t feel something awaken inside me. A liking towards this man. No. No. No. He is not a man, he is my patient. And by liking, I mean I like his laugh and that’s totally normal. You can like someone’s laugh and not feel attracted to them. I mean, I bet his hair is filled with lice due to not being able to wash it in war. And don’t get me started on the body odor. If I inched any closer I might just die from natural causes. Looking at him, he was no way near attractive. So whatever happened there was just due to me being in the heat of the moment. That’s all. Nothing less, nothing more.   
“Hello?” Mr Kruger waved a hand across my face. I snapped out of my thoughts and turned to look at him. His smile had faded and he was back to his usual expression. So fast it seemed like what happened back then was just a blur, or fantasy even.   
“Oh,” I nodded, looking at anything but him. “Sorry I was just thinking of my schedule for tomorrow.” He nodded, looking back at his plate. With his left hand he scratched the back of his head, making me grimace secretly.   
“In case you didn’t know,” I began, trying to sound as nice as possible. “There’s a shower in every patient’s room.” He nodded.   
“I know,” he replied. “I saw them.” I nodded awkwardly.   
After dinner, I escorted him back to his room, completely forgetting about his file that we agreed to look at. But considering what time it was and how late we stayed up during dinner, I thought it might be best to just call it a day and let him have his rest. I opened the door to his room, fixed his bed, brought a dental kit for him to use and fresh laundry for him to wear. He sat on the bed and asked if I could help him change.   
“What?” I asked a little too loudly. He looked at me like I was supposed to know why. I kept staring back, waiting for an explanation.   
“I can’t take off my pants while sitting down.” He explained, pointing to his severed leg. I gulped in response, feeling shy about this entire situation. If anyone were to walk in right now and find me, on my knees in the darkness of the night, removing the pants of my patient, would mean me having to say goodbye to my job. I skimmed through my thoughts and thought real hard about this. Did he really need my help? Couldn’t he just wiggle himself on the bed and shimmy the pants off? I asked for him to stand up, only to remember he can’t do that, then muttered a quick sorry before getting on my knees. Mr Kruger made things less awkward and looked out at the window as I undid the pants and took them off. I stood back up and began folding the pants neatly, placing them right beside him on the bed. I went to the laundry I’d just brought and picked out some nightwear for him. I dusted them and helped his way through the cotton pants. At first I thought it would be awkward, but after remembering the countless times I had to change elders and take them to the washrooms 50 times a day, this task seemed like an easy one. But the only difference was elders were elders, mr Kruger was a young man. A man younger than me. But alas, I should’ve considered this part of the job the day I signed up to be a nurse. After all, he was nothing but my patient. And I was nothing but his nurse.   
He took off his coat and I asked if he needed help with anything else. He asked if I could take his clothes to the laundry basket since it would be hard for him to navigate with crutches in this small room. I nodded, focusing a bit too much on the task. I folded his coat and placed it on top of his pants. He took off his shirt, making me looking away, and gave it to me shortly after. I, again, folded the shirt and took all the other clothes with me to his bathroom —where the hamper was. He said a meek thanks followed by a short goodnight and laid down on the bed. I wondered if I should remind him to brush his teeth, but looking at how exhausted he looked, I think his teeth were the last of his priorities. I smiled along with a goodnight and closed the door quietly behind me. With my mind racing with thoughts, I head to my room for I too feel exhausted and need some sleep. What a long day. And An interesting one to say the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooo long chapterrrrrrrr  
> Mind you I woke up in the middle of the night just to write this. So imma edit it later 😩  
> Please tell me if it’s trash, I don’t mind at all lol.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monika’s plan of making Mr Kruger’s birthday special goes downhill, as Mark builds up the courage to ask her something she never expected.

It’s been a week since I was assigned to take care of mr Kruger. And so far, things have been going well. We’d maintained this routine in which we never broke. 8 am, wake up, help mr Kruger change, take him to the dining hall, go do his laundry, sit outside and chat, do some paperwork, dinner time, and then bed time. Long routine indeed, but one that I enjoyed following. With each passing day, mr Kruger grew comfortable with me and so did I. We’d talk about nothing during our time outside and yet it would still feel like something. I didn’t know what it really was that made me enjoy talking with him, but it surely was something I couldn’t get rid of. Upon him arriving, he seemed to be this old man in a young body suit. But, as the days passed with him in my care, he started smiling and laughing more. And it seemed as though there was a child inside him all along. He’d laugh at the simplest of things and sometimes depend on me on purpose.  
“Can you help me get up?” Or “I can’t get my shirt off, help.” Is one he tended to use a lot. But my favorite one was: “can you help me sleep?” I didn’t know what he’d expect me to do. Sing a lullaby or read a story? He truly did be a child at some points of his stay, but secretly I liked it. Other nurses felt as though I was mothering him, and I think our interactions did seem that way. But nonetheless, I loved every single one of them. And so, I spent most of my nights sitting on a nearby chair next to me Kruger’s bed, talking about nothing. He’d always stare at me until exhaustion gets the better of him and he falls asleep. I would watch him as his eyelids flutter open when I reach to close the door behind me when leaving and just hope to stay longer. But I knew better than staying the night with a patient I only knew for about a week. If only we’d met in different circumstances.  
Today was mr Kruger’s birthday. As well as his appointment with Mark. I woke up extra early to try and make me Kruger’s breakfast a little special. On usual mornings, patients are served oatmeal and black tea with some fruits for after and lastly some pastries as snacks. I decided I’d wake up at 6 o clock to prepare me Kruger’s special birthday breakfast. I was no cook, but pancakes seemed simple enough. And so I dug out some old candles I found in the basement and some whipped cream from the fridge. I pulled my hair into a bun, making sure no hair escaped from the tie, and wrapped an apron around my waist. How hard could this be?  
It was currently 7:30 am and I almost burned the kitchen, along with hospital, down. Although I didn’t understand why! I followed each and every step in the cookbook and yet I still managed to make burnt and uncooked pancakes. I huffed to myself, sitting on the floor. Not only was my grand plan a bust, but all my clothes were filthy. Traces of pancake mix, flour and milk everywhere. My hair, that was neatly put into a tight bun, looked like a bird’s nest. Hairs sprawled all across my face making me remove the tie and shake my hair. The flour fell from my scalp and landed on the floor beside me. Looking at the mess I made in the kitchen meant I was going to be late for all my plans. I held onto the chair in front of me and began standing up before hearing a door open and close. I turned to the sound emitting from up the stairs and dusted my clothes. I began walking quietly up the stairs, afraid to wake any of the patients. Upon reaching the second floor, one door was ajar. A door I had memorized by now. I opened the door only to find mr Kruger in his nightwear and hair going in different directions.  
“Isn’t it a bit early for you to be awake?” I asked looking up at him. “couldn’t sleep well,” he said, his voice raspy. “Can you help me with the shower?” He asked me this time. I smiled to myself. Mr Kruger really was a child in a young man bodysuit. And the best part was me being his mother. I nodded, but told him that I’d change my clothes and be back. He shrugged and turned back to his bed where he then sat waiting for me. I changed into my other uniform, an old one that looked too big, and quickly rinsed my hair with water to make sure that all the flour had washed away. I walked back to his room and helped him to the bathtub. He stripped off his shirt and stayed in his pants asking me to wash his hair only. I rolled my sleeves up to my elbow and began testing the water temperature to see if it was to Mr Kruger’s liking. Eventually when the water was warm enough, I began rinsing his hair, making sure water reached every single hair follicle. When his hair was soaking wet, I set the bucket aside and began pouring the soap onto his head. I started scrubbing and scrubbing, maybe a little too hard because every now and then he’d wince. I’d whisper a soft sorry and gently start massaging his scalp. He then started relaxing and closed his eyes. I took the time to think about how I need to clean the kitchen, wash my hair, and make proper breakfast for Mr. Kruger. But that was the cook’s job anyways. Sometimes I felt as though the cook only knew how to make oatmeals. When mr Kruger’s hair looked white from soap bubbles, I filled the small basket with warm water and began washing off the soap. I saw him smile at the feeling of warm water splash on his head and couldn’t help but laugh at how adorable he looked. He really was a child, and it just made my heart melt. Thankfully, he didn’t notice my giggles, but I for sure did notice how much he was enjoying this. Done with his hair, I started drying my hands with a towel and refilled the bucket with more warm water. Mr Kruger looked at me and said a quick thank you before leaning over the bathtub and reaching towards the bucket. I pushed it closer to him and earned myself a small smile from him. I closed the bathroom door behind me, and gathered his worn clothes from the corner of his room. Then, I opened the closet and pulled out fresh clothes for him to wear and neatly placed them on the bed. After that, I left his room only to see it was 8:10. Today was the first day we break our routine. But it was a nice morning to say the least.  
I walked down the stairs after washing my hands and fixing my clothes and went over to Gisela.  
“Good morning,” I greeted. Gisela looked at me warily and nodded. That was how most mornings went between me and her. I’d say good morning without a smile and she’d nod her head at me. We both weren’t morning persons and we both accepted that. I walked down the hallway where on the left was my office and opened the door. Mark was in there waiting for me.  
“Good morning to you too,” I said maneuvering around him to reach my desk. My office was small. It used to be a janitors closet but since the janitor left, I was given the room and only added a desk inside it. And mark decided, of all places, to sit on my desk that was in front the door. His knee got in the way but I managed to reach my chair and sit down. Fortunately, the only good thing about this place was the chair I was given. It felt like heaven. He finally got off the flimsy desk and closed the door behind him, leaning on it. I piled up my paperwork and started going through them. I didn’t care if mark was going to stand there all day. I had work to do. And since I wasn’t in the mood for chatter, I stayed quiet. I felt his eyes pierce through my head, he wanted to say something so bad.  
“So, Monika,” he began all while scratching his head. “I was wondering if you could, um, have dinner with me this evening?” I raised my head to look up at him since I just couldn’t comprehend the words he just said. Me? Dinner? With mark? A marleyan? Sure he was a good marleyan, but still... it felt weird. I never looked at mark as anything but my boss. But right now, I took a moment to study him. He had brown hair, a sculpted face, and beautiful blue eyes. Mark was an attractive man indeed. But I didn’t know if I was his type or if he was mine. He’s more outgoing and organized. Plans on having a family and settling down. But I was the opposite. I liked staying at home, going to work —even if it was miserable— and having no children or family. I liked being alone and dedicated my time to my work. I felt as though my patients were my family and I took care of them. But I guess I just don’t feel ready to settle down and have a real one with someone else. Let alone Mark. But what could go wrong? I mean what’s wrong with some dinner? I forced a smile on my face and agreed to his request.  
“Sure,” I said. “Why not?”


	5. Late birthday gift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren’s birthday had come around and Monika was excited about making him a special birthday breakfast that would surely surprise him. But as the tables turn, monika herself is met with a shocking surprise instead.

I walked out of my cramped office with my head spinning in circles. I, an eldian, had just gotten asked out by mark who happened to be a marleyan. It felt almost as though I was betraying someone just by agreeing to his offer. I wasn’t sure if I were betraying fellow eldians or someone in particular but it was a gut-wrenching feeling nonetheless. I squinted my eyes shut and rubbed my temples. A headache was seeping through the surface and I simply didn’t feel like spending the entirety of my day complaining about it, and so I went to the pharmacy right next to the reception and asked for some pain killers. They didn’t do the trick right away but for sure the drug would kick in at some point. I headed back to the kitchen and began cleaning the mess I tried to avoid by using paperwork as an excuse. And either way, I wouldn’t have been able to get any work done with my head pounding and butterflies roaming in my stomach. They felt more like centipedes eating away at my organs. I grimaced at the image and continued thinking. I had a date, today, in a fancy restaurant, with mark, my boss, a marleyan. It felt exciting but also scary. I didn’t feel as good as I thought I would be. Mark was good looking, respectful and all in all a perfect man. But I wasn’t any of that. I was me. I was an average person, or eldian to be exact, working a full time job and living in a hospital everyday for the past 5 years just so I don’t face my parents back in the internment zone. It wasn’t that I hated them or had any problems with them, it’s just that I liked the idea of starting somewhere in which nobody knew who I was. Moving out and going to a different city allowed me to start fresh and build a name for myself that I’d be proud of. It’s the thought of being faced with unwanted memories upon entering that place is what scared me the most. I knew I’d be bombarded with whispers and rumors and personalities I swore to never associate myself with. But like they say, history repeats itself. And here I am again, the naive little girl that said yes to a marleyan. Who knew if his intentions were pure? For all I know he might just be plotting a way to get under my shirt or even worse. He might taint my reputation, frame me, or get my family killed. So many outcomes could branch out from this one impulsive decision. But then again, there are other results I didn’t pay attention to. The possibility of building a relationship with a marleyan. Maybe even marriage. That would not only give me a cinch of some kind of privilege, but also a ticket for my parents to leave the internment zone and start fresh elsewhere too.  
I knew I was overthinking this entire thing, but it did help me finish cleaning faster. Discarding the cleaning products away, I walked up the stairs and up to Mr. Kruger’s room. I knocked twice and began opening the door knob.  
“Mr Kruger are you decent?” I peeked my head through the door and found him on the bed with his clothes on. Opening the door wider, I walked in and helped Mr. Kruger out the room, down the stairs and lastly to the garden. We both sat down on our usual bench and inhaled the sweet aroma of medicine and humidity. I exhaled deeply, and closed my eyes. There definitely were cons to living and work in a hospital near the port. My headache was starting to fade away though.  
“Looks like you managed to get dressed on your own,” I started, smiling at mr Kruger as I continued. “I think you won’t be needing my help anymore.” Mr Kruger blushed at me and then shortly after looked at the ground.  
“Actually,” he said. “Another nurse helped me with that.” And For some outlandish reason I felt betrayed. Cheated on. Confused. I loved the little things that occurred between him and I and hoped that no one but us would be involved. Changing his clothes, helping him to bed, feeding him, spending time with him. That all happened between me and mr Kruger only. I felt fury build up inside me, jealousy even. mr Kruger noticed my rage building up by the second from my constipated-like expression that day and looked away instantly.  
“Ah,” i grit my teeth and forced a smile on my lips. “Really? Who was it?” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me. Mr Kruger kept his eye on the ground as he went on to reply to my question.  
“I don’t know her name, but she had short black hair and blue eyes.” He said. Mr Kruger opened his mouth to say something but closed it shortly after —feeling hesitant. He turned to look at me with his eyes holding an upset expression.  
“She wasn’t wearing an eldian band,” he added. “I assume she’s a marleyan.” A name clicked in my head instantly. The only other marleyan around here was Mia. It must’ve been her. I relaxed into my seat and felt as though my anger was pathetic. I was a nurse not a mother. Feeling protective over a patient as much as I was feeling right now definitely wasn’t normal. I had to relax and stay calm about this. Not only that but getting into trouble with Mia is risky. Which Is why I decided to bite my tongue and stay quiet.  
“Although, can I tell you something?” He asked me sincerely. Sadness laced within his words. I nodded at him and motioned for him to continue.  
“I didn’t feel comfortable with her,” he confessed. “When she saw me she instantly started helping me get dressed all while touching me weirdly. I asked her to stop softly but she just continued saying that eldians didn’t have the right to speak up.” He said rather quickly. But as realization hit him, his eyes widened and his expression changed. He went on to say something but dismissed it right after. I was speechless to say the least.  
“I would much rather if you continue helping instead of someone else.” He said, his face relaxing. “In other words, you’re the only person I feel comfortable with.” And that was enough for me to regain my confidence. Me and mr Kruger’s bond was something for us only to share and cherish. And I respected that dearly. I smiled at mr Kruger unsure of what to say. Instead of centipedes and Beatles engulfing my stomach, I felt butterflies and feathers tickling me from the inside. It was a nerve wracking yet exciting feeling to experience.  
“I’m going to report that nurse for sexual harassment and have her fired.” I said sternly. Mr Kruger put his hand on mine quickly after and shook his head at me.  
“Please don’t,” he pleaded. “It’s okay, I’m not a kid. I could’ve dealt with it easily, but I guess it just didn’t click in my head at the right moment.” He said lowering his head but keeping his hand on mine. I felt the urge to squeeze it but knew it would be inappropriate. So I discarded the urge and focused on him instead. That didn’t mean I’d have to remove it from mine though. I nodded, deciding not to push any further. It was his choice in the end.  
“Can I ask you for a strange favor?” He asked shyly. Something unlike his usual demeanor. “Yes, go ahead,” I answered, his hand still on mine.  
“Would you mind if you spent the night with me?” He asked. I tried to reply with an apology since id be out with Mark but Mr. Kruger stopped me instantly. “And I don’t mean in the chair,” he added. “I mean on the bed with me.” He lowered his head, hiding away the small spots of pink appearing on his cheeks with his hair. I couldn’t help but blush as well at his truly strange request. I didn’t know what to think really. My entire body paused for a whole minute and sadly mr Kruger was bad at reading people and continued waiting for a response.  
“I uh,” I stammered. “I actually have a date tonight.” I sighed internally feeling as though I just dodged a bullet. Mark, if you’re somehow hearing my thoughts, thank you for asking me out on this particular day.  
“But if you didn’t, you would?” He asked again. I sat there in shock. Pure and utter shock. Deep down I knew the answer was yes but to whether or not share it was the mystery to me. Considering Mr Kruger’s evident stubbornness and always pushing for things to go his way, I knew I was no way in hell going to escape from this. He had me cornered like rat in a lab. I was doomed.  
“Sure,” I was so deep in thought panicking about what to say my tongue decided to just say whatever came to my head first. I didn’t even realize I replied until mr Kruger smiled at me and said,  
“Tomorrow night then, I’ll consider it a late birthday gift,” before asking me to take him inside for breakfast. Mr Kruger was one smooth man for sure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ew this chapter is so rushed and messy, I’m definitely going to edit this and the other chapters once I get the chance to do so. If I read this chapter one more time I might as well throw up 🤢 bye lol 😭

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!! I posted this fic for fun and lowkey I'm enjoying it. So I'll be posting chapters whenever I can because of school, and if I conjure up a big-enough audience, I'll make a schedule so it's more organized. Please comment criticism, I'd love to hear what I can improve and what I should keep up. And yeah! that's all for now :)


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